They are all seen as hangers on as they carry out no official duties yet are seem to be living the high life constantly. It is only recently that the Michaels and also the York princesses have been paying rent for their palaces.

They're not seen as hangers on, as you've just asked in another thread. They're royals, they live in palaces and they attend royal events. What else is exactly high about their life? Beatrice and Eugenie have done nothing more than what William, Henry, Zara and presumably Peter did at their age.
They're in their 20s, they go out on weekends and have fun, they have dinner in London when they can - what's the problem? Neither live of the taxpayer and The Queen is/was quite happy to keep both Kents and Yorks in her pocket. It is her money.

Well, both Princesses are just starting their adult lives. Princes William and Harry weren't working as Royals when they were studying or serving in the military.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie seems to want help the "Firm", perfoming Roayl duties.

Princess Beatrice accompanied the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh to Maundy Service last year. And the Princesses made a wonderful work in Germany, early this years. Both can be great additions to the group of full-time working Royals.

And the Princesses made a wonderful work in Germany, early this years. Both can be great additions to the group of full-time working Royals.

I really couldn't disagree more. I honestly can't see how the York Princesses can contribute to the BRF in any meaningful way, at least at the time being. As I have said before, there may be a role for them in ten years or so, when there is a smaller working family. They should concentrate on having private lives right now. Even their father didn't become a working royal until 20 or so years in the armed forces.

I really couldn't disagree more. I honestly can't see how the York Princesses can contribute to the BRF in any meaningful way, at least at the time being. As I have said before, there may be a role for them in ten years or so, when there is a smaller working family. They should concentrate on having private lives right now. Even their father didn't become a working royal until 20 or so years in the armed forces.

They can contribute in a meaningful way by turning up and representing their grandmother and Uncle and the country who's monarchy they are part of. Whether it be now or in 20 years.
As for Andrew, in the time he was in the military he performed duties on behalf of his grandmother and of his own accord. Same as Charles, William and Henry have and are doing.

I really couldn't disagree more. I honestly can't see how the York Princesses can contribute to the BRF in any meaningful way, at least at the time being. As I have said before, there may be a role for them in ten years or so, when there is a smaller working family. They should concentrate on having private lives right now. Even their father didn't become a working royal until 20 or so years in the armed forces.

It's clear that the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will start to reduce their duties (the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Conrwall at the State Opening of Parliament is signal of that).

In the years to come, the Gloucesters and Kents will do the same. So, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie will be necessary.

I can the princesses having a role within the Firm in perhaps 10 years time after they have their own careers and have had families. But right now there are already too many working royals.

The 2 princesses and Prince and Princess Michael of Kent should al be advised to keep a lower profile and avoid controversy. They may be off the royal payroll but they still often create a headache for the Firm.

You are very good at setting out a problem, as you see it but I'm waiting for the solution.

They are royal by birth, they do not carry out royal duties and their security is not paid for by the tax payer. They are trying to live their lives on their own, working in private organisations but the paps and media like the DM are hungry for royal news and stalk them.

What is your solution? It seems to me that you have one story and that is to complain. IMO The grandchildren of the monarch are not hangers on.

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This precious stone set in the silver sea,......This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England,

Beatrice and Eugenie didn't pay rent for the apartment at St James' because they were students and as soon as Eugenie left uni Andrew started paying the rent. That was always going to be the case - no rent while at uni but once out of uni then pay rent.

Michael and Marie-Christine didn't pay full rent because for many years the Queen paid it for them - since 1992 - when the public started to turn on the royals and the claim was made that only full-time working royals could live in a palace rent free, although neither William not Harry have to pay rent for their apartments/homes probably because they are in the military. That is also why Diana went back to work after annoucing she was going to stop - she didn't want to have to either leave KP or have to pay any rent for her apartment there.

I really couldn't disagree more. I honestly can't see how the York Princesses can contribute to the BRF in any meaningful way, at least at the time being. As I have said before, there may be a role for them in ten years or so, when there is a smaller working family. They should concentrate on having private lives right now. Even their father didn't become a working royal until 20 or so years in the armed forces.

I agree with you.

The York girls should focus on building their careers and lives independent of The Firm for now. It may be that in time they be called up on by Charles, or possibly William, to carry out engagements on a full time basis, but for now they should just get on wiht their lives. They are obviously welcome to still support the BRF by attending the Trooping and select other events. Further, they can independently support any charities they may wish to.

The York girls should focus on building their careers and lives independent of The Firm for now. It may be that in time they be called up on by Charles, or possibly William, to carry out engagements on a full time basis, but for now they should just get on wiht their lives. They are obviously welcome to still support the BRF by attending the Trooping and select other events. Further, they can independently support any charities they may wish to.

What I think will happen is that when Charles becomes King in a few years time Harry, Beatrice and Eugenie will become full time royals, as most of the Queen's own generation will no longer be working or otherwise no longer with us.

I still think it is unlikely that Edward's children will ever become working royals at all - although I like the model of children of younger children of the monarch not using Prince/ss titles from birth but having the option of choosing to use them later in life - I feel this would have been a better situation for Bea and Eug and also for Harry's future children.

I believe princesses who are not children of the monarch are not longer needed in a modern monarchy. In former times they were educated asa wifes of other Royals, to form blood bands between the countries surrounding their own - but where's the prince who might need or even want a marriage to one of the York princesses?

Plus I don't see the need for them to become working Royals - the media does not even report about the full-time working Royals of today apart from the most senior members of the family - the Wales' branch. The queen ended a lot of traditions of court life where the princesses could have found a place, so the only event where we will probably see them wearing a tiara or a princesses coronet will be their weddings when in former times even peeresses had to wear coronets on certain occasions. Well, maybe on Charles' coronation, but I'm not sure about that...

Okay, people who come to watch an event with Royal presence love it in general, but when it is not reported, it's only a nice thing for a few people, so why should the government shoulder the costs?

It's not as if the York girls come from a poor family, their grandmother has no problem to provide for them so whatever they decide to do with their lives, they can be sure to live in comfort. But why they should seek the Royal spotlight is beyond me. The media is not interested or even makes fun of them, they surely have a much better life when noone is much interested in them. Of course one will see them on occasions when the RF meets, for they are members - like going to chuch or attending Trooping the Colours etc. but beyond that they will fade in the background like the Michaels of Kent. IMHo, of course.

And this will give them the chance to lead their own life in pretty much every comfort they might crave.

I thought the same thing. I just can't seem them going off making a career starting a family etc then in 10 -15 years get told they need to change everything to become full time working Royals. It's different for Harry you can't put the girls in the same category. A lot depends on how things change under Charles then William and there will be changes.

I would like to see them fous on their own lives and careers and families etc and then in perhaps 5 to 10 years become full time working royals once they have established themselves. By then there will be probably be fewer working royals so there will be a place for the York girls.

I don't have a strong opinion of whether they should or shouldn't be full-time royals now, but I can't see them "coming off the bench" in 10 or 15 years, unless they've been working at royal duties all along.

Apart from the titles, they're really in the same position as Sarah Armstrong-Jones and David Linley -- grandchildren of the monarch. Those two have never been full-time royals.

They are also in the same position as Princess Alexandra - grandchildren of the monarch with the titles of Princess - and she has been a full-time working royal all her adult life.

The decision seems to have been made that they won't be full-time working royals and that decision will, I assume, be for life. It would be totally unfair to say to them now - get a job and a life and live it - and then in 10 - 15 years time say - give up the life we allowed you to have as you now have to change tack.

I don't have a strong opinion of whether they should or shouldn't be full-time royals now, but I can't see them "coming off the bench" in 10 or 15 years, unless they've been working at royal duties all along.

Apart from the titles, they're really in the same position as Sarah Armstrong-Jones and David Linley -- grandchildren of the monarch. Those two have never been full-time royals.

They're actually not in the same position as Sarah and David - Sarah and David are grandchildren of the monarch without princely titles, more comparable to Peter and Zara than the Yorks. The expectation that the Yorks one day do full time royal duties is based on the fact that they, unlike their non-royal cousins, are royal.

I have a soft spot for when Prince Andrew claimed his daughters would be of great help to him. It works out to having a Princess Andrew and an additional royal - which is not one too many. So few of William and Harry's generation are interested in public duties, or have titles, the idea of having them fill in for the older gen is compelling.

But for the same reason, I find it difficult to see them bucking the trend of the Queen's grandchildren, turning away from public life. Their protection was taken away, and I think this decision would not have been made, if they were being considered for royal duties.

If Prince Charles is not supportive, I don't think the Queen will disregard his wishes for the future. Princess Anne and Prince Edward are not interested.

If they do not have long to wait until they're needed, there might a chance. If they've worked for 8 or more years, it won't be right to ask them back, especially if they're turned away now. Another thing is - whether the princesses are doing it for their father.

I've never really been a fan of the York girls, but I think their current situation is the right way to go - leading relatively normal working lives while "helping out" with royal goings on and having a few patronages of their own. As had been said before on here, their cousin Zara is a good role model to follow.

The difference with Zara and Peter Philips is that they aren't royal while Beatrice and Eugenie are.

The fact is that they aren't needed and won't be needed.

The stage has also been set for only the children of the heir and the heirs heir to be HRH Prince/Princess - so I would expect that Harry will follow Edward's lead and not have the HRH for his children (times were different in the late 80s, early 90s when the York girls were born compared to when Edward married and made the announcement that his children wouldn't be Princess/Prince.